Little Simz - Angel

In Our Headphones

KEXP

Music, Music Commentary

4.4 • 1.1K Ratings

🗓️ 3 January 2023

⏱️ 6 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Little Simz - “Angel” from the 2022 album NO THANK YOU on Forever Living Originals.

With her latest single "Angel," London-based artist Little Simz continues to pay tribute to her friend Harry Uzoka, who was murdered in 2018.

"Harry listenin’ from Heaven on repeat/
He was backin’ it when nobody believed"

She previously wrote about Uzoka with her 2019 song "Wounds" off the album GREY Area. As she told The Guardian at the time, "“I remember waking up, Googling, trying to find out as many details as I could and going to the studio in bits. I sat in the dark in tears and I didn’t go on socials to see everyone posting ‘RIP’ – and because I didn’t do that, I was able to write 'Wounds.'”

Today's Song of the Day not only finds Little Simz continuing to process her grief, but also struggling with the music industry, as she notes on the couplet:

"They don’t care if your mental is on the brink of somethin’ dark/
As long as your cuttin’ somebody’s payslip"

A ten-minute short film was released to accompany her latest LP NO THANK YOU. Watch that below, along with her 2021 Live on KEXP at Home session.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Never cared about being immortalized How can I stand with the option up with the tribe
0:24.0	They said you were dreaming and want you to glorify Got a rude awakening by ignoring
0:27.9	I pulled the signs Why did I give you the keys to overrash it on my behalf now I'm
0:32.4	scarred and mortified What did I expect from those living
0:35.1	the corporate life Unfortunately honesty isn't normalized
0:38.5	Had to get my shit together and get organized If you're hands in my pocket some calling
0:42.2	I pulled the guys Though I don't want to be the reason I'm more divided
0:45.6	Guess I said my nature of being a water sign I'm sort of like
0:50.2	Nothing is making sense in my awkward mind Give me your ears selling me for the night
0:55.6	Shooting in the dark Guess I never saw the light
0:57.9	Revolt access I'm running it back here It's missing opportunities
1:01.3	I wish I was that pressed Yeah I said that shit with my downstairs
1:04.9	You need me and you feel the loss of my absence The novelty was off after a few years
1:09.8	After a few tears from challenging new fears Learning everything I didn't wanna come up
1:14.6	We was too busy making music to the sun up Every day through the summer
1:19.2	Didn't learn the business and that I'm ducking for cover What a fuck up
1:22.8	I just leave a bad taste drinking I'm a sucker
1:25.2	Come up on my damn face nigga Did I star?
1:27.6	It's gonna be a sad case If you see my brothers I can see how it not
1:31.3	It's can get tainted, frustrated They don't care if your men are
1:35.1	Was on a brink or something dark As long as you're cutting somebody's
1:37.9	pasted And sending their kids to private school
	...

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